Attaining The Impossible
by Aleia15
Summary: someone sent Iruka flowers, and Iruka had no idea who. Suddenly, everyone in Konoha was a possible suspect. Kakashi/Iruka


**Attaining the Impossible**

It all started on a rainy October morning.

It was only eight in the morning and Iruka already knew it was going to be a bad day.

He had quite liked rainy days before he started working in the Academy, but experience had taught him that rain and restless kids were never a good combination. When they couldn't be let out for target practice or some sort of physical exercise, the kids tuned to be almost unmanageable.

It had been raining non-stop for four days and Iruka had had his hopes of it letting out by Friday. A vain hope, as it turned out.

He was already thinking about what he was going to do to keep the kids focused on the lesson and entertained enough to avoid a riot, when he noticed there was something completely out of place on top of his desk.

He looked around, his brow creasing in a frown. There was nothing in the classroom that could tell him where it had come from or what was it doing there. And it looked harmless enough.

It was strange.

With a shrug, Iruka picked up the lone red flower and after looking at it for a second, put it inside his top drawer.

And then promptly forgot about it.

Or would have done, except there was another one waiting for him on Monday.

This time it was a different one, white and quite delicate looking. Iruka didn't know much about flowers, their language being something he didn't cover in his classes, but it struck him as a strange way too get his attention. He put it inside the drawer, gently touching the first one with his fingers before the noise from the corridor told him the kids were about to arrive.

He thought no more of them, though he wasn't exactly surprised to see another one the next day. And the following one. And the following.

Each day there was a different flower on top of his desk. For a prank it was an elaborate one, which disqualified his students and most of the shinobi he knew as the prankster. If it was a seduction though--nah, it couldn't be a seduction.

It was no secret in Konoha that he carried a torch, and had done for quite sometime already, for Kakashi. It was the stuff of legends, actually. He had been saved, a long time ago when he was still a pre-genin, by Kakashi. That same day he had announced to everyone in his class and every single person he knew in Konoha he was going to marry him when he grew up.

That was almost twenty years ago, and though he was a bit embarrassed remembering his six years old self shouting his infatuation to the four winds, his feelings had changed but little since then.

He had become a bit more adept at hiding them though.

He had not married Kakashi, the mere idea now made him shake his head in wonderment at the innocence of children, though they had managed to establish a kind of friendship thanks to Naruto. They enjoyed each other's company and Iruka had come to believe that was good enough, not perfect, but good nonetheless.

But no, he would not believe Kakashi was the one behind the flowers.

The fact remained, though, that someone sent him flowers and Iruka had no idea who. Suddenly, everyone in Konoha was a possible suspect.

He was going to find out, if only to reject the person properly if they were serious.

Iruka knew how it was being in love with someone unattainable, and didn't want anyone else going through it.

…

A week later he wasn't closer to finding out the culprit.

His traps had failed, and the few inquiries he made around town unveiled nothing. Two things were clear, though. Whoever it was, was skilled and discreet. That person had managed to get past Iruka's traps without springing them or getting caught. He had also done it without anyone being the wiser. In Konoha the latter was even a more astounding feat than the former, considering how gossipy bored shinobi could be.

He was at his wits end, which explained why he had resorted to _that_. If his traps and questions yielded no answer, maybe the flowers would.

"I have a very good book about the language of flowers, Iruka-sensei," Ino said with a smile after Iruka explained what he needed. "I lent it to Kakashi-sensei last month, but he's probably finished with it. Do you want me to ask him to give it to you?"

Iruka smiled, shaking his head. "Don't worry, I'll ask him myself." He thanked her and left the flower shop, heading to Kakashi's apartment.

Had it been anyone else, Iruka would have immediate suspected them. Kakashi though, he had not expressed any interest in a relationship with Iruka before, and he had to know how Iruka felt about him. He also wasn't the kind of person who would play a cruel joke like that, so he probably had a legitimate reason to have that book.

"Kakashi," Iruka said when he opened the door to his apartment, staring at him with a lazy smile. "I need Ino's book for some research, are you done with it?"

"Yo, Iruka," Kakashi greeted him taking a step back and allowing him into his house. He was wearing nothing but a pair of black pants and a handkerchief tied around his face, his hair in complete disarray and a faint pillow mark on his face. It was almost noon and the lazy sod had been _sleeping_. Iruka felt his mouth drying at the sight. "Come in while I look for it. I can't remember where I put it."

He disappeared from view, leaving Iruka in the middle of his living room. He dropped on the couch and looked around, marvelling at how clean and organized everything was in Kakashi's house. Every time he was there, he expected to see some of the confusing and lazy personality the jounin exhibited outside to show in his surroundings, and every time he was disappointed.

"What do you need it for?" Kakashi's voice reached him from the bedroom, the sound of things being moved around and rustling of papers clearly heard. If he'd had any doubt before, they were cleared once and for all. Kakashi really had no idea where the book was.

"Nothing serious," Iruka said, surprised to hear the disappointment he was _not_ feeling in his voice. "I can't find the person who's sending me flowers, so I'm going to try to decipher the message."

Kakashi's head appeared around the door to his bedroom. "Flowers?"

Oh. He hadn't told Kakashi. He had not seen him for a fortnight.

"Right, I didn't mention it," he said with a smile. "I've been getting flowers. _Daily._ It's annoying not knowing who sends them."

Kakashi stepped out of the bedroom. "You've got a secret admirer? And you've got no idea who it is?" His tone was teasing but there was something in his uncovered eye belying the tone. Iruka frowned.

"It might be a prank," he said, shrugging.

Kakashi took the seat next to him in the couch, a heavy tome in his hand. "Which flowers have you received?" he said opening the book, his voice thick with barely contained curiosity.

For a moment Iruka considered just grabbing the book and leaving Kakashi there, if there was someone he didn't want to share this task with, it was Kakashi. But they were _friends_, even if Iruka would have liked to be more.

"The first one was a red tulip," he finally said.

Kakashi looked at him. "It's not a prank, Iruka. Red tulip means _a declaration of love_," he said seriously. "A good choice to begin a courtship." He pointed at the open page in the book and Iruka looked down, a picture of the flower and a brief description confirming Kakashi's words.

He nodded sadly. He'd have preferred it if it was a prank.

"The next one was a bellflower," he said.

"Thinking of you," Kakashi said immediately, his hands turning the pages and one of his long fingers pointing at the right one when he found it.

"Red daisy," Iruka said, looking up at Kakashi, his brow furrowing in thought.

It wasn't unlikely that Kakashi knew the meaning of the flowers, what with being a genius and all, but he had answered before looking at the page, and his fingers and found the page almost without looking at the book.

"Beauty unknown to possessor," Kakashi recited, looking at Iruka.

"Star of Bethlehem," Iruka continued, the first tendrils of suspicion sneaking into his voice and posture when the answer came without checking the book again.

"Hope."

"Heliotrope," he said, feeling the breath stuck to his throat, his eyes never leaving Kakashi's.

"Devotion."

"Forget-me-not."

"True love."

"Cora--"

"Desire, passion," Kakashi said before he had the chance to finish his sentence, confirming his worst suspicions.

He was on his feet in an instant, the blood rushing through his veins. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed, until his face was scant inches from Kakashi's. "You think this is funny, Kakashi?" he said, his voice barely a whisper, his fists clenched at his sides. "It was you, all the time it was you. And you said it wasn't a prank?"

"It's not a prank, Iruka, it's a courtship," Kakashi said, his eye narrowing as well at Iruka's tone.

"A courtship!" Iruka snorted, taking a step back and glaring at him. Kakashi glared right back. "Why would you court _me_?" Everyone in Konoha knew about his feelings for Kakashi, if Kakashi wanted something with him he just had to ask.

He had not asked in all the time they had been friends.

Kakashi stood up, letting the book fall to his feet, and took a step toward Iruka. "Because I've been dropping hints and hitting on you for months, and you didn't respond though you claim to be in love with me! Or did you think I invite everyone to my house? Let them see me like this? Pester them at work and accompany them to eat ramen with Naruto?" Iruka blinked at those words, stunned. "Bugger this, obviously subtlety is lost on you!"

Any response Iruka thought to make was lost the instant Kakashi tugged his handkerchief down and kissed him. He froze, the feel of those lips on his something he had never dared imagine he'd feel. And then he reacted, opening his mouth and responding to the kiss with years of pent up longing and hope.

"I never thought--" he said, breathless, when they came up for air. He shook his head, still too stunned to think clearly. "Why now? Why after so many years?"

Kakashi smiled at him. "I knew about you and your declaration, but I didn't know you and you didn't know me," he said simply, his lips brushing against Iruka's.

"And then?" Iruka exhaled, barely a whisper.

"Then we got to know each other."

This time it was Iruka who closed the distance, claiming Kakashi's lips and pushing him backwards until they fell on the couch. "Let's know each other better."

…

It was raining again, but Iruka didn't care. Not with the way his body ached pleasantly and he still had the taste of Kakashi's mouth in his.

He picked the blue rose placed on top of his desk and smiled.

_Attaining the impossible._

It was going to be a good day.

…


End file.
